Stable ratings for top execs, institutions

SATISFACTION RATINGS for the country’s top institutions and officials aside from the president are basically stable, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted just before the end of last year found.

Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay continues to enjoy a “very good” net satisfaction rating, at +57 (69% satisfied, 13% dissatisfied) as of the November 27-30 poll, similar to the +58 recorded in September.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, meanwhile, extended a “good” rating streak to three quarters, posting a +34 (55% satisfied, 21% dissatisfied) in November from September and June’s +39 and +41, respectively.

House Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte also maintained his “neutral” rating streak, scoring a +7 (33% satisfied, 26% dissatisfied) from +9 previously.

A continued “neutral” verdict was also recorded for Chief Justice Renato C. Corona, who saw his score move to -7 (26% satisfied, 33% dissatisfied) from September’s -5.

The Senate, meanwhile, saw its net satisfaction rating move up three points to a “very good” +51 (65% satisfied, 14% dissatisfied) from September’s “good” +48.

Identical three-point gains were notched by the House of Representatives — a net +33 (51% satisfied, 18% dissatisfied) — and the Supreme Court — a slightly higher +36 (55% satisfied, 19% dissatisfied).

Both institutions stayed in the “good” category.

The latest scores for the two chambers of Congress are new record highs.

The Cabinet as a whole, lastly, was rated a “moderate” +20 (41% satisfied, 21% dissatisfied), similar to the +22 it scored three months earlier.

The latest satisfaction rating, a spokesman for Mr. Binay said, would prod the vice-president “to work even more for the people.”

Mr. Belmonte, for his part, said: [I] guess [I’ll] just be more visible. But I’m happy to be low-key.”

On the satisfaction rating of the House, Mr. Belmonte said: “I think this is one of the highest ever… It’s [a] more hardworking and uncontroversial House with a lot of idealistic and articulate members.”

Court administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez also explained Mr. Corona’s neutral ratings as due to his staying out of the public eye.

“He confines himself to his chambers and on some occasion visits the country’s trial courts without much fanfare,” Mr. Marquez said in a text message.

The Supreme Court, he added, will “continue to decide cases whether or not they are with heightened public interest, expeditiously as possible, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws.”

Commenting on the performance of the Cabinet as a whole, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said: “This shows public opinion is maintaining its positive and supportive attitude for the administration and the president’s team.”

Mr. Enrile was not immediately available for comment.

The SWS, which polled 1,200 respondents for the November survey, classifies scores of +50 and above as “very good,” +30 to +49 “good,” +10 to +29 “moderate,” +9 to -9 “neutral,” -10 to -29 “poor,” -30 to -49 “bad,” and -50 or lower “very bad.”

Error margins used were ±3% and ±6% for national and area percentages. — AMGR